


Black Ice

by MsHermia



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), FebuWhump2021, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Minor Character Death, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Stand Alone, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Lives, Tony Stark-centric, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29768190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsHermia/pseuds/MsHermia
Summary: Febuwhump Day 25 - Car AccidentOn a cold winter night on their way home after a dinner at the Stark's cabin, Peter, May and Happy get into an accident.The car Peter is driving hits black ice and goes off the road right at the river.Tony rushes to the scene to help, terrified that it might be too late.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 89





	Black Ice

Tony's heart was racing. It was beating so fast he'd had to silence FRIDAY's emergency alert twice, overriding the blaring alarm entirely the second time to just make her shut up. It was sheer panic that had his pulse spin out of control and there was nothing, nothing that FRIDAY's empty words and warnings would do about it.

The road was dark and winding, trees closely lining either side of him. Despite the snow and ice that hung heavy on the branches and had powdered the ground into what Morgan had described as a 'winter wonderland', the road was dry and clear. Just as well because Tony was driving as fast as he dared. Maybe a little faster than that.

It didn't matter that he was speeding. He was still not going fast enough to keep the horror scenarios at bay, the nagging fear that every attempt he made now would be too little, too late anyway. They might be dead already.

Tony pulled in a deep breath through his teeth that sounded too close to a sob even to his own ear. Desperate, he pressed down a bit further on the gas paddle but instead of going even faster, the car suddenly lost a significant amount of speed.

"What the fuck is happening?" His hand hit the steering wheel, his foot coming down harder on the accelerator. "FRIDAY, for fuck's sake--"

_**"Boss, we are only about three miles out from the last signal I received from Peter Parker's car. The heightened possibility of an active game path or hidden black ice that could have led to the accident increase the closer--"** _

"FRIDAY, override code two-double-seven Stark."

**_"Override denied."_ **

Tony cursed, followed by a deep guttural groan. "I will fucking melt you down to your integral components if you don't do as I tell you right this second!"

_**"I'm afraid you cannot use your override code again for another 23 hours and 49 minutes."** _

"For fuck's sake, FRIDAY! Fucking get me there as fast as possible!"

He should have just taken a suit. He hadn't been thinking, had just reacted. His suits had been stored and locked away in the basement of the cabin for years. Three and a half years of retirement had changed his instincts more than he had realized and now, he was fucked for it.

It had been such a great day. Just that morning he had been out in the snow with Morgan. The older she got the harder a task it was to drag her out of the house for some fresh air with her old man, but as soon as he had her out the door in the snow, it was a joy.

Peter, May and Happy had arrived with cake in the afternoon and then stayed through dinner. The three of them had grown so close over the years. It had been hard work, no doubt. As much as the survivors had suffered after the Snap, the undoing of it came with its own struggles.

Tony should have made them stay the night. He should have just fucking made them!

The miles were crawling by and Tony's eyes flashed back and forth between the road ahead and the map where the GPS signal of the car was blinking red and rapidly, mocking him. 

The location it indicated was right by the river. If the car had skidded off the street, if they had slipped into the water. The temperatures were way below freezing out there. If they had hit the water...

Tony's stomach turned as he was finally coming up to the scene of the accident. The forest opened up towards the river on his right side, but there was no car in sight. The road was empty. 

Then he saw it, tire marks that ran off the lane. There was a bit of a bend in the road where the river was closest to the street barrier, but that barrier was gone now.

Panic rushing in Tony's ears, he pulled his car off the road into the snow on the other side of the street near the trees. His hands were shaking as he swung open the door. 

"HELP! P-PLEASE..."

"Pete!" 

The kid's voice was croaky and weak. Even without seeing him, it was abundantly clear that Peter was crying, bordering on hysterical. Still, it was better than the silence Tony had dreaded.

"Tony! Oh... oh god... please... Tony, please... I... I can't, I... oh god..."

Tears shot into his eyes at the desperation that swung in his kid's voice. Tony sprinted towards the sound. He had almost crossed the street when his feet were practically ripped from underneath him. As if in slow motion his arms were spinning like propellers trying to fight gravity. His only luck was that he had been rushing just enough to land on the ground next to the road instead of breaking his tailbone on the asphalt. 

Black ice.

Tony didn't hold back. He cursed as loud and as strongly as the little breath he had left would allow him while he struggled back to his feet. 

It was freezing out and idiot that he was, he hadn't even brought a jacket. Not that he felt the cold but with every curse he blew out, a cloud of white breath formed in front of his face. That was until his breath was gone entirely, robbed by the scene in front of him.

The car was in the water alright, halfway submerged under the cold waves right next to the shore. The only reason it hadn't been pushed out even further under was Peter who stood on the far side of the car, water up to his chest, fighting against nature itself.

"Help," Peter cried, just as exhausted as desperate. "I can't... can't... much longer... Tony... please... please help them..."

Despite himself, Tony had frozen. He shouldn't freeze like that. He would never have frozen like that before. He was Iron Man after all. Had fought intergalactic battles and... and... now, at the disaster unfolding in front of him, he didn't even know where to begin.

"They're... in the back... Tony... please... plea—Urgh!" 

The car moved another inch further into the river and the shock of it, the pitiful whine from Peter finally pushed Tony into action. 

"I'm here, buddy! It'll... help's on the way, okay! Just... just hold on a little longer, Pete."

Tony's ripped the door to the backseat open easily enough, his eyes straight on the two unmoving figures slumped in their seats, belts still buckled tightly.

"I... I don't know what happened, I... oh god," Peter sobbed. "We... we were fine, we were—"

"It'll be alright, Pete! Just... just concentrate, okay? I'll... I'll be quick. I'll get them out!" 

Happy legs were submerged entirely. There was a cut on his face, blood running down the side of it. He was pale, too pale.

"Hey, Hap... Happy, come on!" Tony shook him, then pulled Happy's face towards him. "Come on, now! Don't leave me hanging! Fucking... May? May, wake up, come on!" 

Neither of them gave even a twitch as Tony reached across Happy into the icy water. The seat belt came off at once. There was no time to lose. Between the water and the limp body, Tony tried his best to heave Happy out of the car. His arms were straining under Happy's weight. The angle was awkward and difficult to pull at but every whimper from the kid holding this ship afloat spurred Tony on to be faster, to be better. So he did, just because he had to, adrenaline and panic giving him a boost.

He managed to maneuver Happy onto the ground next to the road. By instinct, Tony pressed his shaky fingers against Happy's neck, searching for a pulse but he felt nothing. His throat was so tight, he desperately gasped for air, eyes burning with fear. It was just his fingers. Had to be. His fingers were cold and numb and there was no point in even trying. Peter's voice tore him away from his friend, back into action. Peter was still begging for help, May still trapped in the car.

The water seemed to have risen further in the car. His legs were spasming from the cold, arms and hands numb and heavy as he waded through it, trying to get to May. Her head was bowed low, the water almost at her mouth. It wasn't until Tony had gotten this close to her that he saw the dent in her side of the car.

They hadn't just skidded clean off the road then but hit something along the way. 

Tony held her by the shoulder, trying to keep her upright and out of the seat belt so he could unbuckle it. The hand on her shoulder came away stained dark. In the low light, he could only guess it was blood.

Through the window, Pete's face looked back at him, trembling lips stained dark likely turning blue from the cold. "Tony!"

"I'm right here, bud," Tony breathed, possibly too quiet.

"Are... are they alive?" Peter's words were mumbled, difficult to make out. They were running out of time.

"They'll both be fine, buddy, okay? Just... just hold on a little longer!" Tony slung his arms around May and crossed them over her chest. With short strong pulls, he moved her further and further towards the open door, towards the safety of the shore. "May, you have to wake up," he whispered, his own voice heavy with fear. "This... shit... you can't do this to him. Not like this. Not—"

He yelped as the car slid further into the water.

"I... I got it, I..." Peter winced and there was another jolt. "Tony... get her out! Get out! Get out!"

His own panic gave Tony wings. Another two pulls later and he had finally freed May from the car. 

"I got her," Tony yelled in Peter's general direction. "Get out of the water, buddy. Careful now!"

By the time he had laid May down right next to Happy, Peter was rushing to his side.

"Are they okay? Tony, please... are they... oh, oh god, no, please, I—"

Tony turned fast. Both hands cradling Peter's face, he made him look right at him. "Everything will be fine, okay? Go to my car and get the first aid kit out of the trunk."

"But—"

"Listen to me!" Peter's eyes had already moved down to the lifeless forms of May and Happy again, but Tony gave his head one good shake, fighting to get his attention back. "Go to the car. Watch out for the ice. I need your help now, Pete!"

Eyes wide, Pete nodded. His tears were mixing with blood streaming down from the cuts on his face, leaving smudged dark lines all across it. He moved fast enough. That was a good sign. His clothes were soaked through, sticking to him as he rushed towards the car. Before Tony could warn him again, Peter slipped just like Tony had, just like the car had. He fell hard on his left side.

"Shit, you okay?" Tony's stomach turned at the sight of the kid, as he lay there for a moment, not getting back up. "Peter, are you—"

"M fine." A lot more carefully than before, he struggled back to his feet.

"Get the blankets, too!" 

Tony knelt down between May and Happy, once again he pressed the index and middle finger of both his hands against either of their throats. The way his own heart was rushing, it would be a miracle if—

He gasped. There was a flutter, a sign of life on Happy. Tony had clearly felt it. There was hope then. This... they could make it out of this! 

His eyes shifted to May but even by the time Peter had made it back, blankets and first aid kit in hand, Tony had no idea if May was even still with them.

Just in case, Tony started with compressions, desperate to be subtle about it but there was no way for Peter to miss what was happening.

"What... Tony? Tony, what are... are you doing? Wha—" The sob that had Pete stop mid-word hit Tony squarely where it hurt most.

"My fingers are really numb, kid, okay? I just... I'm not sure. It's... just as a precaution."

"She... she doesn't... oh god, she has no pulse, she has no—"

"Pete, listen to me." Tony's body was aching from the cold, from the adrenaline rush. From the loss that he might not be able to protect the kid from. "The paramedics will get here and then they'll warm them up, okay? Put that blanket around Happy and then get in my car. Get out of those wet clothes and turn on the heater."

"No," he mumbled. "No, no, I... please... this can't be... I can't—"

"Peter!" Tony was losing focus and with that the count on the compressions. "Blanket! Happy! Come on now! I need you, buddy."

The kid's wet sobs rang in Tony's ears, as Pete took one of the blankets and wrapped it around Happy. Before Tony could say anything else, he took the second blanket and wrapped that one around the lower half of May's body.

It felt like endless hours but couldn't have taken more than a couple more minutes until sirens and lights finally flashed up in the distance. Tony had to practically force Peter to stay back while they put first Happy then May onto stretchers and into the emergency vehicle. Just as quickly, Tony made Peter get into the car to follow the ambulance to the hospital.

Peter refused to take off the wet shirt but at least discarded his pants and wrapped himself in the blanket. The blanket that had been covering May just moments before. He used the corner of it to hide his face, leaning heavily against the door. Away from Tony.

"How are you feeling, bud?" It was a fucked up question, but he had to know what he was dealing with. Tony's eyes flickered back and forth between the street and Peter. "Are you hurt? Anything other than the cuts on your face?"

Peter's hand pushed the fabric of the blanket away at that, shaky fingers fumbling across his skin, looking for cuts.

"Stop that!" Tony reached out to him but jerked away at the icy coldness of Peter's hands. "Geezes, kid! Rub those together, okay? Warm them up! Put them on the seat!"

"I'm fine," he hissed, face turned back towards the window.

There was little Tony could do. He couldn't stop, couldn't take his eyes off the road either. All he had left was mumbling reassurances how everything would be okay. Lies, nothing more. Tony had no idea if any of this would ever be okay again.

They arrived at the hospital just after the ambulance. Peter didn't even wait for him to come to a full stop.

"Kid, just-- Fuck..." Tony rushed after him into the hospital.

The neon lights were blindingly bright, almost like spotlights on a stage. He felt uncomfortably exposed, his wet clothes still clinging to him. Peter had already made it to the reception, the blanket still wrapped around his waist. He... shit. He wasn't even wearing shoes. Tony wasn't sure if he had lost them in the water or had simply taken them off in the car along with his soaked pants. 

Either way, his wide-eyed panic and torn-up look had already attracted hospital security. Peter's fist banging against the reception desk as he demanded to see his aunt, didn't help either.

"Hey... hey!" Tony had stormed after him just in time to push a tall guy in hospital uniform off his kid. "Take your hands off him and get a damn doctor!"

"Sir, this is a hospital, not a carnival," the security guard growled. "There are procedure and—"

"We came in alongside the ambulance, you clown!" Tony was pointing a finger squarely at the man's chest. "My son was in a car accident. He was in the river. I need a doctor!"

"No, I need to see my aunt!" Peter was panting. "My aunt was in the ambulance I need to—"

Tony grabbed him by his shoulder and forced the kid to turn towards him. "Pete, they—"

He froze, Peter's face looked so much worse under the light than it had in the dark of the road. His lips were blue, pupils fully blown despite the bright light and his skin was so pale, he looked un-dead. The bad kind. Tears and blood from the cuts on his face were smeared all over his face.

"Jeezes, kid! You..." Tony spun around towards the receptionist. "I need a fucking doctor! He was in the river 15, 20 minutes!"

Peter stepped up right next to Tony, both hands holding onto the desk. "I'm fine! I'm not even shaking! I just need to see my aunt!"

"You're hypothermic, Peter!" Tony's adrenaline spiked as high as it had back on the road when he had spotted Peter standing in the icy waves.

"Gentlemen, let's calm down." Finally, a doctor had walked up behind them. "What is the—" The man stopped midsentence as he took in Peter's face. "Come with me."

"No," Peter growled again. "I need to check on my aunt!"

The doctor wasn't much taller than Peter but he squared his shoulders and stepped up close into his space. He eyed him for a moment, his face hard. "What do you think your aunt will say if she wakes up and I will have to tell her that you died from hypothermic cardiac arrest, hm?"

Peter's mouth clapped shut at once. Fresh tears fell off his lashes.

"Doctor Gordon," the receptionist interrupted. "The patient's personal data needs—"

"Just give the man a damn form," the doctor barked at him as he grabbed a hold of Peter's upper arm and dragged him along.

With ease, Tony snatched the forms from the receptionist's hands and quickly followed the doctor to the closest treatment room. Inside, Doctor Gordon asked his name as he checked his pupils and lungs. Then he had Peter strip off the last of his wet clothes and wrapped him in a hospital gown. In quick progression people carried equipment into the room, starting with heated blankets that two nurses wrapped around him before they helped Peter to lie down on a padded stretcher.

One of the nurses fitted a breathing mask over Peter's mouth as Gordon leaned over him and carefully untangling one of Peter's arms from the blanket. "We'll use humidified oxygen to rewarm your airway. Additionally, we— ah, yes, thank you, Leslie." The nurse had carried in a bag of fluids that she fitted to the stand next to Peter. "It's a warmed saltwater solution to help warm your blood back up. Now, you'll start shivering soon, but that completely normal as your body warms back up. Your dad can stay with you, okay?"

"Okay," Peter mumbled through the masks, his eyes finding Tony's.

Two quick steps and Tony was right next to him, grabbing his hand just after the nurse had fitted the IV.

"And Leslie," the doctor called out to her. "Can you organize dry clothes and a heated blanket for Mr. Stark here as well, please."

Tony sucked in a breath before he turned towards Gordon. "Thank you."

"Why don't you take care of those forms, then we can get you an update on Peter's aunt?"

The forms balanced on the foot of Peter's bed, Tony quickly filled out all three of them - May, Happy and Peter - while nurse Leslie cleaned and taped up the cuts on Peter's face. The doctor hadn't been gone more than a couple of minutes. The nurse was still busy with Peter's face when the kid called out to him.

"Just... please... can you make sure they are fine? I just..." Peter swallowed hard, his eyes still wet. "I need to know that they... that they—"

"Alright, buddy." Tony squeezed his hand then as the nurse turned away to grab a pair of scissors, he stepped close and pressed his lips against the kid's cold forehead. "You stay right here, okay?"

With a quick glance to either side of the waiting room, Tony strode back towards the registration desk. There weren't many patients in, even fewer people waiting in the seated area for friends and relatives. Less stress for the staff meant fewer mistakes and Tony would not be able to live with any more mistakes tonight.

He slid the filled-out forms across the table towards the receptionist. "I need an update on May Parker and Harold Hogan."

The receptionist's eyebrows were pulled up high. "And your relation to Mrs. Parker and Mr. Hogan is?"

"She's my son's legal guardian," Tony bit out. "He's my brother."

He pursed his lips, shuffling through the documents. "The doctor will find you when—"

"No!" Tony's fist crashed against the wood of the desk. "I need an update right now!"

"Sir, you will get an update when we have an update to give, or do you want me to drag one of the doctors away from the treatment and—"

"Fine!" Tony pulled both of his hands up and took a step away from the desk lest he'd strangle that arrogant little prick.

Instead, he stalked away from the man and fished his phone out of his pocket. There were two text messages from Pepper. One from almost an hour ago.

_'FRIDAY filled me in. Call me as soon as you know more.'_

Then another one from 12 minutes ago.

_'Tony, please call me. I'm worried.'_

Without a second thought, he did. The phone rang for all but two seconds before Pepper answered him.

"Tony? What's going on?"

He pressed his eyes shut. Just the sound of her voice had him tear up. "Hey, Pep..."

"FRIDAY puts your car at Ellenville Regional. Is everyone okay?"

"I... erm..." One hand steadied himself against the wall. "Pete's hypothermic."

"Oh no," she gasped.

Tony's eyes stung. "The car skidded into the river." He ignored her next gasp and pushed on, his voice low. "He held the car up and May and Happy I... I pulled them out when I got there. I'm... I don't know... Happy had a pulse at the scene but May, she..." He stopped himself, unable to keep going.

Just the thought of what it would mean if the worst were to happen... if it were to happen like this. Peter would never forgive himself.

"Oh my god, honey... I... I'll pack some things and I'll meet you there. Morgan, I'll... I'll just have to bring her and—"

"No!" His voice came out sharper than he intended. "You stay where you are!"

"Honey, I can't leave you all on your—"

"There's black ice out there on the very road that leads here. I don't want you on the street tonight."

"I... okay..." She was crying now. "Just... just call me, okay? Call me as soon as you know more."

"I will, Pep. I will. Just..." Tony blew out a breath and shot a glance over his shoulder at the commotion coming from the reception desk. "I gotta go. I love you, honey. Give Morgan a kiss."

He didn't hear his response, his heart pounding like a steam engine in his ears. The doctor that had just turned away from the registration desk locked eye with him, her expression sober as she walked over to him.

"Mr. Stark?"

Tony's limbs were numb. Somehow he knew. The way the lady was looking at him. How she held herself. He knew what she was going to say but his brain wouldn't let him accept just standing there and taking it. It seemed to float away, anywhere but here to just not hear it.

"I think maybe we should go and see your son as well. He is in treatment room 3, yes? We can just have... I have some information that—"

"No!" His voice was composed, so much more than he felt capable of. "No, you... you should tell me. Tell me here."

"Mr. Stark..." Her eyebrows were raised in sympathy. She even reached out to him, a soft hand placed on his lower arm. "I think it might be easier if we're all in a room together, so I can—"

"No." This one sounded less sure though he felt a lot more certain than before. Yeah, it would be easier. She was right. It would be easier for him, but telling Peter. No, that was his job. Not his job, his responsibility. "Just tell me."

It was an out-of-body experience to hear her say it. To hear her say how sorry she was. How despite their best efforts... May was gone. Was dead. That was what she said. Dead. Not 'gone'. Not 'had passed on'. She was dead.

They said that was important. That the words you used had to be the right ones. That there couldn't be any confusion.

"Mr. Hogan is currently receiving hemodialysis to rewarm his blood. His vitals so far are holding steady. We are hopeful that he will make it through the night and then we will have to go from there."

Hopeful that he might make it through the night. Hopeful. May Parker was dead.

"Mr. Stark?"

His eyes shot over at the doctor, blinking. He hadn't realized he had looked away. "Right, I... I guess I will... will go. Talk... talk to my kid." He swallowed hard.

"If you would like me to, I could—"

"No, I... I need to do this. For him. It's..."

He shook his head and without another word, Tony made his legs move, surprised that they did. His mind was still not with him, still flowing around him, unwilling to come back to him. One hand on the door, the other on the doorknob, Tony paused. Memories flashed in front of his eyes. Doctors in white coats who stood in front of him, informing him of his parents' passing.

It wouldn't happen to Peter like that. He wouldn't allow it. No strangers, no detached condolences by faceless shadows.

Tony took another breath like it would make him ready to do this, when nothing would ever make him ready for this. Waiting... waiting just made it worse so he pushed the door open, relieved to find Peter alone, still on the bed hooked up to the IV and the humidified oxygen.

Doubts crashed down on him. Maybe he should wait. Wait until Peter was more stable, had recovered.

"Tony?" The kid's voice was muffled by the mask, questioning more than panicked until it wasn't. Wasn't not panicked. "Tony, what... what is..."

He closed the door behind him, still holding onto it like the words would magically come to him. Tony knew what to say, the main thing to say was clear, way too clear and sharp and brutal, but how to begin?

In the end, he didn't need a preamble. In the end, that face he so prided himself on having control of said it all for him.

"N-no..." Peter's eyes widened. With every breath the kid took, they came faster and faster until he was panting, sitting up in his bed. "No... oh... oh god, no... no!" The IV on Peter's arm dislodged before Tony had even had a chance to get to him. Peter ripped off the mask just as fast.

"Buddy, I... I'm so sorry, she—"

"No, don't!" Peter grabbed both of his arms just as Tony tried to pull him close. "Don't say it! Don't... don't say it!"

But Tony had to. He had to because if he didn't, Peter would never accept it, never. "I'm so sorry, kid. She died, she–"

Peter struggled against him, pushing him but not hard enough to move him. "Oh god, no... please... I... no, you're wrong! You're wrong!"

"Pete, I'm so sorry—"

"You... you need to call Doctor Cho! You need... you need to call her and then at.. at the Compound, they can save her, please!" The panic in Peter's eyes was threatening to strangle him, both of them, his hands erratically tearing on Tony's green scrubs. "We should have gone there right away! The cradle, they... please, please, you need to save her, Tony, please."

"Oh, buddy..." His heart hurt with every beat from the bare pain that was radiating off Peter. "Cho can't do that. She... she can't bring people back."

"We need to try, please! Please just... just try, just ask her to try!"

In a twisted way, Tony almost welcomed the way Peter's hands kept hitting him, almost relished in the sting of it. "The doctors tried reanimating her, buddy, but they couldn't. She..." It wasn't enough. He was chickening out. He had to say it properly, had to be strong for his kid who was crumbling right under his fingers. "May died. There's... there's nothing we can do, bud. May is dead."

The pained howl Peter pushed out chilled him to the bones, so much worse than the icy water of the river had. With it, Peter's arms went slack and he slumped forward into Tony's waiting arms. All he could do was hold him, be there. It wasn't much, it wouldn't make this any better but there was nothing else for Tony to do. He couldn't conquer death. He couldn't take this pain away.

Tony rocked him, back and forth, forgoing all the empty phrases of how it was alright. How they would get through this. Phrases that meant nothing, never had. No, instead, he told Peter how much he loved him. He told him over and over again, mumbled it into his hair, told him with the slow circled he rubbed into his back, with the way he held him up, tightly pressed against his own chest.

The desperate sobs that shook his kid broke Tony piece by piece. None of this was alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading guys! Let me know what you think.
> 
> Special thanks to [Spagbol99](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spagbol99/pseuds/spagbol99) for her help! 
> 
> Come and say Hi! on [tumblr](mshermia.tumblr.com) if you like :)


End file.
